


When I Wake

by rosworms



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sastiel - Freeform, Seizure, after seizure care, postictal care, postictal state, seizure disorder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-06
Updated: 2014-08-06
Packaged: 2018-02-12 00:59:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2089779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosworms/pseuds/rosworms
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With as many times as Sam’s body had reacted to stress by seizing and convulsing, Dean often suspected his brother might have some sort of seizure disorder.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When I Wake

The Winchesters rarely sought out medical help when they could take care of it themselves. They never had regular check ups or follow up appointments. 

Still, as many times as Sam’s body had reacted to stress by seizing and convulsing, Dean often suspected his brother might have some sort of seizure disorder. And each additional episode probably made him more susceptible than before. 

So when Sam’s temperature was spiking during the trials, it took a lot of convincing for Sam and Castiel to get Dean out of the bunker for one night. He’d been taking care of Sam for Sam’s whole life and even more so in the last few nights. If he didn’t get a night off, Sam was certain that his brother would go insane.

"If you don’t leave, Cas and I will start kissing and being sickeningly syrupy sweet in front of you." Sam voice was joking, but his exhausted smile barely reached his eyes. 

"I am perfectly capable of taking care of Sam. I have been vulnerable before and am aware of the fragility of the human body." Castiel was stern and Dean finally gave in.

"Yeah okay, but if I go out… I’m not coming back until I have been thoroughly laid." He grabbed his jacket and left. Sam let out a sigh of relief.

~

Everything had actually been okay for most of the night. Sam was having trouble sleeping, so they stayed in the library.

When Sam’s head began to hurt too much for reading, Castiel invited him to lay his head in his lap. For almost half an hour, Castiel ran fingers through Sam’s fever dampened hair while reading softly out loud to him.

"Then the princess hunted for the birds that Death said fought for Wish’s hat, and presently she heard them making a great hubbub, and, looking up, saw them in the-" Castiel’s reading stopped when he noticed the pressure on his leg increased and there was a strange throat clicking sound coming from Sam.

He dropped the fragile book, not noticing the few pages that came loose from the binding and fluttered off to the side.

Remembering what Dean had taught him when Sam was withdrawing from demon blood for a second time and what he’d researched himself afterward, Castiel rolled up the blanket they’d been using and made sure it was under Sam’s head. With his grace, he held out his hand and all obstacles too close to Sam’s body were pushed away. 

It was different from before. While Sam’s seizing had seemed so violent during the withdrawals, this time it was so quiet save for the repeated quiet sounds coming from Sam’s throat. His body was stiff, fists clenching and unclenching, while his head tried again and again to push against the soft cushion underneath.

He waited patiently for it to slow down and stop. Eventually Sam’s breathing stopped hitching and fell into a deep rhythm reminiscent of sleep and the only sign that a seizure had just happened was the occasional twitch of Sam’s left hand.

He smoothed Sams hair back and lightly pet Sam’s head until he showed signs of coming around.

"Sam?" Castiel paused a moment to give Sam a chance to respond before asking again when there was none.

"Sam?" He was overjoyed when he received a small "hmm" from Sam, who was just now opening his glazed eyes. They took a moment to focus on Castiel and then started to slide shut again.

"No. Stay awake, Sam." He put a gentle hand against Sam’s very warm cheek and Sam looked at him. "Can you sit up?"

Sam nodded weakly and let Castiel pull him into a sitting position since he was not coordinated enough to do it himself yet. Castiel held him up and scooted behind so Sam could lean against him and he wrapped an arm around Sam’s shoulders.

"Sam, do you know who I am?"

"Cas." It was a barely mumbled whisper, but Castiel caught it.

"Do you know what just happened?" Castiel asked. Sam’s head dropped forward as he tried to think and couldn’t come up with an answer.

"Stay awake, Sam. You just had a seizure. Do you know where you are?"

"Mmm… home?"

That was a good enough answer for Castiel. Sam was fine… just tired and slow to process in his postictal state.

"Can you drink some water?" Castiel summoned a water bottle from the table, thankful for the sports top so there was no risk of spilling. He held the bottle up to Sam’s mouth and let him take a few sips, Sam feeling weak enough that he didn’t even try to take the bottle in his own hands.

He then held Sam in his arms, gently swaying as if he were rocking a baby to sleep. He grabbed a random book from the shelf nearest by and started reading to the drowsy Winchester who was relaxed against his chest.

It took almost two hours for Sam to come out of this state and he showed it with a deep sigh.

"I’ve never come around in such a soothing atmosphere before. Usually it’s sudden and scary. I know it’s because Dean can’t stop his own panic, so I don’t blame him. But this was… a relief." He lifted his head up and gave Castiel a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."


End file.
